1 B2 idiomatic informal
For an audience or crowd to silence a speaker through loud, hostile shouting or jeering.
"The minister was howled down before she could finish her first sentence."
separable
howl down
B2 informal separable transitive
To silence a speaker by loudly booing, jeering, or shouting as a group.
In plain English
When a crowd shouts and yells so loudly that a speaker cannot be heard and is forced to stop.
What does "howl down" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To howl (like an animal) in order to drive something downward — suppress it.
Actually means
When a crowd shouts and yells so loudly that a speaker cannot be heard and is forced to stop.
Usage tip
Common in political and parliamentary reporting, particularly Australian and British English. The subject is typically a crowd, audience, or group of protesters. Implies hostility and collective action.
Words that pair with "howl down"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
speaker politician audience crowd proposal motion
How to conjugate "howl down"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
howl down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
howls down
he/she/it
Past simple
howled down
yesterday
Past participle
howled down
have + pp
-ing form
howling down
continuous
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Other ways to say "howl down"
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